1. Please check into the reception area on the ground floor of the Mater Private Hospital. Please note that this is a check in time, not the time your procedure will be carried out – you can expect to be in the unit for 4-5 hours in total.

​

2. For appointments 7am to 12pm, please fast (nothing to eat or drink, not even water) after you have taken the second dose of laxatives - nothing after 2am on the day of the  procedure.

​

3. Please ensure you have taken the full bowel preparation according to the enclosed instructions. If you have any difficulty with the preparation, please contact the office ahead of your appointment.

​

4. Prior arrangements must be made by all patients to be collected and accompanied home following IV sedation. Patients who have had sedation, particularly the elderly, will require supervision at home x 24 hours. Patients are advised not to drive a car or operate machinery for 24 hours following sedation.

 

5. Please read the consent form as soon as you receive it and contact the office ahead of time if you have any concerns or queries.

​

6. Please bring your medical insurance details with you when you are attending the day therapy unit. Patients without insurance will be directed to the finance department to arrange payment prior to the procdure. You should check with your insurer to confirm that you will be covered for the procedure in the Mater Private Hospital ahead of time. The procedure code is 455.

 

7. Please bring your medication list with you on the day. There is no need to stop aspirin. If you are on warfarin, plavix, pradaxa, eliquis or any other blood thinners, please let us know ahead of time, as this may affect your ability to have the procedure.

 

8. If you are diabetic, please check with your Endocrinologist, as some alteration of your diabetes medication will usually be required during preparation and fasting.

​

BOWEL PREPARATION

In order to carry out a high quality colonoscopy, it is essential to prepare the bowel thoroughly. Please follow these instructions carefully – your cooperation with the preparation is critical to the success of the colonoscopy. If the bowel preparation is inadequate, the procedure may have to be repeated at another time.

 

1. Please inform your doctor's office AHEAD of time if you are on warfarin, plavix, pradaxa or any other blood thinners, as this may affect your ability to have the procedure. Please let us know if you are diabetic or have kidney problems, as the preparation may differ, or you may need specialist advice.

 

2. Discontinue iron supplements 1 week prior to the procedure

 

3. Two days before the procedure, take a low fibre/low residue diet. Try to drink at least 2 litres of fluid each day (for example, if your procedure is on a Monday, take a low residue diet on Saturday and Sunday, until the liquid diet starts).

​

Examples of low residue foods include:

Cornflakes or rice krispies, White bread or toast with butter/jam, tea or coffee

Clear soup/Bovril. Regular soup can be put through a sieve to remove the

vegetables

Grilled turkey or chicken, fish or eggs

Potatoes, boiled or mashed, or spaghetti or rice

Jelly or plain yoghurt. (no fruit)

Tea or coffee

 

PLEASE AVOID: Red meat, pork, tinned fish, bran containing cereals,

wholemeal breads, biscuits or crisp bread. Avoid all fruit and vegetables

and fruit juices, salads, nuts and seeds.

​

4. The day before the procedure, a light breakfast (eg tea and white toast) is

allowed. Thereafter, fluids only are to be taken - Examples include:

Black tea or coffee (no milk)

Water or carbonated/fizzy drinks

Clear consommé

Jelly (avoid red jelly)

Glacier/boiled sweets

 

5. At 6pm the day before the procedure , take the first dose of plenvu (500mls) over a 1 hour period. You should try to take (at least) an additional 1.5 litres of other fluid - more if possible. This will start the bowel cleansing process. Diarrhoea is the expected result.

​

6. At 12 midnight on the day before the procedure, take the second dose of plenvu over 1 hour. Follow this with another 1.5 litres  of clear fluid. Again, diarrhoea is the expected result. You should not take anything further by mouth (not even water) after you finish this prep in the early hours of the morning. (Your usual tablets can be taken with a small sip of water)

​

7. Approximate length of stay in the unit is 4-5 hours. Please bring nightwear, dressing gown and slippers. You will be given IV sedation for the colonoscopy in order to relax you. You may not go fully to sleep as a result of this medication, but you should be relaxed and comfortable. This is the standard of care for sedation for colonoscopy. It is important for you to arrange to be collected after the procedure as you WILL NOT be allowed to drive

or travel home unaccompanied( for example - taking a taxi alone is not permitted).

​

8. You should be able to work on the day before the procedure, up to 6pm, when the first laxatives are taken (as these will cause diarrhoea). As you are advised not to drive or operate machinery for 24 hours after IV sedation, you may require the following day off

work.

​

​